With High Speed 2 potentially changing the face of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty it is important to acknowledge the local role that Chiltern Railways plays in a less visible way through this beautiful landscape. This album is a photographic record of Chiltern Railways services through the area in 2014.

The company operating as Chiltern Railways in 2014 is the franchise holder following the transfer from British Rail in 1996; it covers three routes across the Chilterns. The main line from Birmingham enters the area near Princes Risborough and continues south via High Wycombe to London. A terminus at Aylesbury Vale Parkway is the start of a more easterly route via Aylesbury and Wendover, before joining the main line south of Rickmansworth. Finally, a single-track route provides a link between Aylesbury and Princes Risborough.

The main line, and the Princes Risborough-to-Aylesbury line, follow the route of the historical Great Central System, part owned by Great Western Railways, whereas the easterly line was originally part of the Metropolitan Railway, also part of the Great Central System. The Great Central Railway Company came into being in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of the route to London. Most of the route was closed between 1966 and 1969 under the Beeching axe.

The Metropolitan Railway served London from 1863, its main line heading northwest from the City to what were to become the Middlesex Suburbs. From Aylesbury, now a terminus, it would have been possible to travel onwards to Waddesdon Manor, Quainton Road, Calvert, Verney Junction, Buckingham, Brackley and beyond.

From Princes Risborough it was possible to travel in five directions: south to Paddington (and then Marylebone), north to Banbury and Birmingham, west via Thame to Oxford, south-west on the branch line via Chinnor to Watlington, and north-east to Aylesbury.

The Icknield Line is run by the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway, a registered charity set up in 1989 to revive a local victim of Dr Beeching’s axe. Over time this group of dedicated volunteers has worked wonders drumming up funds, obtaining various planning permissions and recruiting many pairs of willing hands. The little brick and flint station at Chinnor has been rebuilt, a stretch of track through lovely Chilterns countryside refurbished, and all the practical skills required to operate a heritage railway secured. A lot of progress has been made since Tony Hyde shot his pictures on a summer day in 2008. These pictures will convey something of the atmosphere and pleasure that can be had from a visit – for more information go to www.chinnorrailway.co.uk

A set of photographs tracing preferred route 3 of the proposed HS2 rail link as it crosses the Chilterns from Harefield to Wendover with train speeds up to a maximum speed of 400 kph. Produced as part of the Chiltern Society’s campaign ‘No HS2 Across the Chilterns’. View photos taken along the proposed route by clicking on a thumbnail below.

Click here to see photos in a YouTube video created by Keith Hoffmeister, including commentary by Geoffrey Palmer OBE.

Click here for more information about HS2 on the Chiltern Society website.

The maps refered to on this website are based on plan and profile maps published by the Department for Transport on 11 March 2010. The map sheets 5 through to 9 cover the proposed route through the Chilterns.

All photographs are copyright the photographer. They may be copied and reproduced by educational establishments only. In all other circumstances prior permission must be obtained from the website editor.